Rotatable brushes known as end brushes have been developed for cleaning, finishing, and polishing surfaces. For example, an end brush may be applied to a surface of a work piece, and used to remove rust, paint, markings, scale, slag, carbonization, or dirt from the surface. End brushes are generally attachable to tools that are able to impart high-speed rotation. For example, stem-mounted end brushes have been designed to be chucked into a power drill.
A typical end brush includes bristles configured to be pressed against the surface of the work piece. Bristles can be formed from crimped or straight wire, nylon, polypropylene, and other suitably stiff materials.
A problem with conventional end brushes is that the bristles flare outwardly when the brush is chucked into or otherwise attached to a rotary tool and spun at high speeds. When the brush is brought into contact with the work piece, the brush generally has to be pushed against the work piece to overcome the flare and keep the bristles in contact with the surface. This can be a particular problem with inside corners or recessed areas of a work piece. Pushing the bristles into the work piece, against the flare, can cause the bristles to bend and break prematurely.